BAKU/MOSCOW, Dec 29 — Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has accused Russian forces of shooting down a passenger plane that crashed last week, killing 38 people. Aliyev criticized Russian officials for issuing misleading statements about the incident.
The crash involved Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J2-8243, which went down near Aktau in Kazakhstan after diverting from Russian airspace. The plane reportedly encountered electronic interference before being fired upon near the city of Grozny.
President Vladimir Putin apologized to Aliyev on Saturday, calling the crash a “tragic incident.” However, the Kremlin did not explicitly admit responsibility, stating only that investigations were ongoing.
Aliyev, speaking on Sunday, rejected Russian claims that the crash was caused by bird strikes or a gas cylinder explosion, calling these explanations “absurd.” He demanded accountability from Russia and punishment for those involved in the downing of the aircraft.
The Azerbaijani leader attended a ceremony at Baku’s Alley of Honour to pay tribute to the victims, including Captain Igor Kshnyakin, co-pilot Alexander Kalyaninov, and flight attendant Hokuma Aliyeva. The pilots were honored for their efforts to save passengers despite fatal damage to the aircraft.
The Embraer jet had flown from Baku to Grozny before veering off course and crashing into a fiery descent. The pilots’ actions reportedly allowed 29 passengers to survive.
“My father always said he was responsible for every life onboard,” said Anastasia Kshnyakina, the captain’s daughter. “With his last flight, he showed true heroism.”
